The present invention relates to firearm or other weapon voluntary restraint and, more particularly, a method for preventing the brandishing or discharge of a firearm or effectively utilize a weapon which requires it to be held firmly in the hand embodied in a glove shaped hand restraint which's use is temporary and voluntary.
The present invention also relates to a wearable restraint which can reduce the potential of an individual brandishing or effectively utilizing a hand-held weapon, including, but not limited to, firearms, knives, aerosol defensive products, martial arts weapons or other hand held items, embodied in a glove shaped hand restraint which can be voluntarily worn and allows for self-removal by the wearer.
In the current environment within the U.S., there exists a conflict between the constitutional rights of its citizens and duties of law enforcement. The police have the right, and duty, to enforce the law for the protection of society. In most jurisdictions, law-abiding citizen has the right, under the second amendment, to carry a personal firearm for protection. At times, when these two rights intersect, such as during a routine traffic stop for a minor traffic offence or other similar interaction where there is meeting between a citizen legally in possession of a weapon with armed police or security forces, the potential for tension can be high. This intersection can result in unintended, but potentially fatal, mistakes and the use of deadly force by one or both of the parties due to misinterpretation of one of the individual's actions and movements perceived as threatening lethal force. These types of intersections cannot be eliminated, as the interaction between police and law-abiding, legal weapon-carrying citizens will continue to occur on a constant basis. It is desirable to help reduce this potential tension between the various parties, thereby reducing the potential for accidental and unintended use of lethal force.
The current method often used by law enforcement for reducing the ability of using a weapon includes handcuffs or other forms of wrist-restraints (e.g., tie-bands), which are applied to the citizen by the law enforcement officer. Such wrist restraints, however, require the officer to apply them, have a visible social stigma, and most importantly are not designed as a as a tool to reduce the ability for a citizen to effective hold or effectively discharge a firearm or use a hand held weapon. In addition, handcuffs bind the hands together in a non-voluntary manner, requiring the office to remove them at the end of the interaction.
There is a need for a simple, easy to use, non-intrusive, socially acceptable, self-removable and self-applied voluntary method for effectively preventing firearm use and discharge or use of other hand held weapons use during interactions between law enforcement and law-abiding citizens. The disclosed device, when worn, dramatically reduces the ability of the individual to effectively use a firearm or other weapon which must be held in the hands for effective use, including, but is not limited to, firearms, knives, martial arts weapons, chemical sprays, etc., by preventing the ability of the wearer to hold any object with their third, fourth and fifth fingers, normally performed by “holding the object in their hand”. While at the same time, the present invention enables a wearer to comply with law enforcement instructions through being able to obtain and present various documents (i.e. licenses, etc.) or objects from any location, such as their wallet, pocket, purse, briefcase, knapsack or glove box.
Thereby, the present invention assists in the voluntary peaceful resolution of many, but not all, law-enforcement and law-abiding citizen interactive situations, improving safety for all parties and reducing unintended violent actions through the use of a hand held weapon or article, which can lead to serious injury or death of one or more parties.